NOTES
2520
Procedure.--All absorption spectra were measured by means of a Beckman model DU spectrophotometer and 1cm. silica cells a t 26 f. 1". In the determination of the ionization constants the spectra of buffered solutions were measured in "50%" aqueous ethanol (100 ml. of the solution contained 50 ml. of water; remainder of the solution consisted of 95% ethanol). The concentration of all comM . The ionization constants were pounds was 5 X log ( E B,7E,/ calculated' by the equation p K , = pH, E , - EBB+)where EB, EBH+are the optical densities of base and salt and E , is the optical density of a mixture of base and salt at an intermediate pH, fairly close to the value of the p K , of the compound.
+
(7) L A Flexser, L P Hammett and A Dingwall, 87, 2106 (1933)
T H I S JOURNAL
CANCER RESEARCH LABORATORY OF FLORIDA UNIVERSITY GAINESVILLE, FLA.
The Preparation of S-Succinyl Coenzyme A'
Vol. 75
been used for the synthesis of acetyl-coenzyme A.l0 This anhydride method may be applicable for the preparation of other acyl coenzyme A derivatives. (10) I. B. Wilson, THISJ O U R K A L , 74, 3205 (1952). DEPARTMENT O F BIOCHEMISTRY COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 32, x, Y .
S E V ' YORK
On Some Partial Molal Volumes of Gases in Solution' B Y RICHARD H. SCHUMM A N D OLIVERL. I. B R O W X ~ JANUARY 3, 1953 RECEIVED
This note reports measurements of the partial molal volumes of carbon tetrafluoride and methane in some non-polar solvents a t 27.0'.
Carbon tetrafluoride, obtained from the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, was led through a Dry Ice trap. Methane, Research Grade from the Phillips Petroleum Company, had been analyzed by mass spectrometer 99.7% pure. Benzene was obtained thiophene-free or We have previously concluded that a succinyl as was freed of thiophene by washing with sulfuric acid, soderivative is a precursor of pr~toporphyrin.~dium carbonate and water, and dried over calcium chloride. This succinyl intermediate may be identical with Reagent grade (A.C.S.) carbon tetrachloride was used $thS-succinylcoenzyme A. We have found that this out further purification. %-Hexane, n-heptane and isooctane" (2,2,4trimethylpentane) from the Phillips Petrocompound is readily formed by succinylating co- leum Company were all of 99 mole per cent. purity. enzyme A with succinic anhydride, as shown by the The apparatus and procedure were essentially the same as disappearance of the sulfhydryl group (nitroprus- those of Horiuti3 and of Gjaldbaek and Hildebranda4 The side r e a ~ t i o n )the , ~ formation of a hydroxamic acid,5 volume of the bulb was approximately 150 cc. The capilstems had a capacity of about 8.5 cu. mm. per cm. and an increased light absorption of 232 mp.6 lary Two dilatometers were used during each run; gas was disWhen the product is warmed for a few minutes on a solved in one and the other was used as a blank t o correct steam-bath, the sulfhydryl group reappears, the for small temperature variations in the bath. Compresreaction with hydroxylamine no longer occurs and sion of the solution by the increased head of mercury in capillaries was avoided by pulling a sufficient vacuum there is a decreased light absorption a t 232 mp. the in one capillary to return the mercury in the other capillary Also, this synthetic preparation behaved as suc- to its original height. BY ERICJ. SIMON~ AND DAVIDSHEMIS RECEIVEDFEBRUARY 27, 1953
cinyl-coenzyme A in enzymatic systems.'
Thirty-five mg. of a coenzyme A preparation (Pabst) was dissolved in 30 ml. of ice cold water. To this solution 3 mg. of succinic anhydride was added, followed by sodium bicarbonate until the PH was 7-7.5. The mixture was kept in an ice-bath and shaken frequently. The reaction appeared to be completed within 30 minutes a t which time over 90% of the sulfhydryl groups had disappeared. At 0' the succinyl coenzyme A is stable a t PH 7-7.5 for several hours, a t room temperature it is half hydrolyzed in about 1-2 hours, as measured by the nitroprusside and hydroxamic acid methods. However, a t pH 1, a t room temperature; the succinyl coenzyme is much more stable than a t neutrality. The hydroxamic acid test was carried out on the formed succinyl coenzyme A after the complete hydrolysis of any unreacted succinic anhydride. Succinyl coenzyme A has previously been enzymatically prepared from ~x-ketoglutarate.~*~ Acetic anhydride has
-
( 1 ) This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes
of Health, United States Public Health Service, from the American Cancer Society on the recommendation of the Committee on Growth of the National Research Council, and from the Rockefeller Foundation. ( 2 ) Aided by a fellowship from the National Foundation of Infantile Paralysis. Present address: Payne Whitney Clinic, Cornell Medical College, New York, N. Y. (3) (a) D. Shemin and J. Wittenberg, J . B i d . Chcm., 192, 315 (1951); (b) D. Shemin and S. Kumin, ibid., 198, 827 (1952). (4) R . R . Grunert and P. H . Phillips, Aych. Biochem., SO, 217 (1951). (5) F. Lipmann and L. C..Tuttle, J . Biol. Chem., lS9, 21 (1945). ( 6 ) E. R . Stadtman, 122d Meeting, Am. Chem. SOC.,Atlantic City, N. J., S c p t 1952, Abs. 32'2. (7) We are indebted to S.Kaufman, C. Gilvarg, hl. J. Coon and J. R . Stern for these enzymatic experiments. (8) D. R. Sanadi and J. W. Littlefield, Science, 116, 327 (1952). (9)H . Beinert, 122d Meeting, Am. Chem. SOC.,Atlantic City, N. J.. Sept. 1952, Abs. 31C.
To check the procedure against that of Horiuti and of Gjalbaek and Hildebrand the partial molal volume of methane in benzene was determined at 25.0'. Values of 53.51 and 51.22 cc. per mole were found, which agree well with Horiuti's value of 52.0 and Gjaldbaek and Hildebrand's value of 52.5 cc. per mole. The results of the measurements are summarized in Table I. It will be noted that the value determined for methane in n-hexane a t 27" differs considerably from the value of 60.0 cc. per mole a t 25' found by Gjaldbaek and Hildebrand and that it does not vary in the direction to be expected from the two-degree temperature difference. Horiuti found that the partial molal volume of methane in carbon tetrachloride increased 6.8% in going from 0 to 25'. As shown by Gjaldbaek and Hildebrand, the partial molal volumes of methane, ethane and nitrogen decrease consistently with increasing solubility parameter of the solvent except for solutions in carbon disulfide. This exception they attribute to the effect of differences in the size and shape of the component molecules. However, if the data for these gases, as given here and in (1) This note is based on the Master's Thesis of R . H. Schumm, 1952. (2) Department of Chemistry, Connecticut College, New London, Conn. (3) J. Horiuti, Sci. Papers, Insl. Phys. Chem. Res., Tokyo, 17, 125 (1931 ) . (4) J. Chr. Gjaldbaek and J. H. Hildebrand, THISJOURNAL, 72, 1077 ( 1950).
